FORMER Basildon fishery manager Mick Toomer continues to make the most of his new-found freedom, landing 16 thornback rays over three consecutive days from local sea wall and boat marks.

Toomer’s first session saw him fishing a seawall mark downriver of North Fambridge.

Peeler crab presented at very close range produced four bass, two of which were over the size limit.

Later in the tide he turned his attention to thornbacks to tempt a near double-figure specimen at long range.

The following morning Toomer returned to the same river Crouch seawall mark taking squid as well as peeler crab.

This time all of the bass proved to be undersized, but he banked another decent thornback, a specimen of more than eight pounds tempted by a whole squid bait.

To round off his three-day thornback bonanza Toomer spent the next day boat fishing out from Bradwell where he boated an amazing 14 thornbacks!

The big catch came from the charter boat Daphne Carole skippered by Wickford man Phil White.

Taking advantage of the settled weather, White took the party to an offshore mark where Toomer boated his 14 thornbacks on fresh mackerel bait.

Although none of the other nine anglers aboard came close to challenging Toomer’s enormous haul they all enjoyed good sport, boating a further 28 thornbacks between them.